Planning commission approves five-lot division of Brookby Estate at 250 Plymouth Road with conditions

The East Grand Rapids Planning Commission voted to approve a land-division application to split the Brookby Estate at 250 Plymouth Road into five residential lots while retaining the existing primary building on Lot 2, the commission announced after a special meeting. The approval included conditions recommended by city staff, among them demolition of existing outbuildings on Robinson Road and recording deeds or land contracts with the Kent County Register of Deeds within 90 days.

City planning staff summarized the request and the city's analysis, telling the commission that the proposed parcels meet R-1 zoning requirements and that, based on mapping and a simple model of proposed building envelopes, staff "continue to feel that this standard is met" for the ordinance's harmoniousness requirement. The staff presentation noted a small area of flood plain (about 20–30 feet) along an on-site drainage creek but said it would not prevent development of the upland building envelopes shown.

The project team and neighbors supported the split. Lucas Jones, who identified…